Re: Happy ending, or beginning of a nightmare?
when wondering why the dealer would just slap a new motor in, rather than try to correct--they get paid well for warranty work, so they will often choose a path that might not make sense if they had to charge the customer. Not saying it's the case here, but just speaking generally.
Good idea, though, to confirm they actually switch them. Some dealers charge the manufacturer for warranty work and never do the work. Manufacturers sometimes "audit" this by looking to see if the factory paint has been cracked on a bolt, etc., to determine if they did on fact replace that timing chain or oil pump. Trust everyone, but cut the cards.
To be fair, removing the old motor and installing the new one and all of it's components, would still be pretty labor intensive, so I'm sure they will still get paid for warranty work. I have purchased many cars and motorcycles (not boats) from many dealerships, but none of them have shown the customer appreciation and service like this one has. They have really stepped up and went above and beyond what I would have ever imagined any dealer would do. They will definitely get my business and referrals in the future.
On a side note - The loaner boat they gave me is a 50th Anniversary Edition 2006 Glastron GX 205 from their used lot. The boat's interior is a little rough, but it has the Volvo 5.0 and and the VEC Hull, so I got to compare against my Merc 4.3, non VEC Hull GT 205. Granted, I know that I am comparing a 2006 boat to a 2011, and that the GX 205 is a little heavier, so I know that there will be some differences in overall performance based on that alone.
The Volvo 5.0 has the obvious power advantage over my Merc 4.3, however, it does not pull any faster than my 4.3, actually a bit slower, topping out at about 45 MPH. Seems to have a "bigger bark" but not a "bigger bite", granted this boat is a little heavier than my own (250 lbs more). I did notice a much bigger wake on this boat, than on my own. Perhaps due to the bigger Volvo sterdrive on this boat vs. my Merc Alpha 1 sterndrive? Or perhaps the wider VEC Hull?
As far as the VEC...I was apprehensive about buying my 2011 GT 205, since the 2011 models do not have the VEC Hulls. Now that I have had the opportunity to drive both, I don't feel that I have missed much. The VEC boat, seems much "slappier" in the water. It does not seem to plane and glide through the water with the same "finess" as my boat.
The dealer warned me that the loaner has an awesome stereo, but that it did not work as the amp was blown or shorted out. Since they were so good to me (and since I was hitting the lake that day and REALLY wanted some tunes
) I returned the favor and shot the wiring and found the issue. I was able to get the amp fired up and bring the sound system back to life. It has (4) 8" Pioneer Subs, in addition to the (4) stock Mids, and is powered by an 800 watt Fusion Amp. It definitely wasn't the nicest looking boat in Party Cove, but it had the best sound system, hands down.
Will keep you all posted on the progress of my boat. Thanks for all the replies.
